All appropriate measures have been taken to prevent the bird flu from affecting Malaysia's poultry industry, a minister said today.

Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin said this when commenting on a case of avian influenza reportedly detected at a duck farm in Perak by Singapore authorities recently.

Bernama quoted him as saying that said the tests conducted on the ducks at the farm turned up negative. He was speaking to reporters after presenting excellent service awards to Fama staff in Batu Gajah in Perak last night.

Asked on Japan's move to suspend poultry imports from Malaysia, he said it was a precautionary step.

"I believe it is quite normal for them (Japan) to suspend poultry imports from Malaysia because they would want to be doubly sure," added Muhyiddin.

'Malaysia's Best' logo

In recent months, he said, Japan has been importing 10 containers of poultry monthly following its suspension of imports from Thailand.

On the export of local fruits, the minister said those bearing the "Malaysia's Best" logo has been popular in Singapore and Hong Kong. Fruit ex ports are also scheduled for Japan and Australia.

"Papayas, melons and star fruits have been popular in these countries and exports of rambutans, mangosteens and durians is also being considered," he said.

Hong Kong alone, said Muhyiddin, currently imported RM150 million worth of Malaysian fruits annually.

Meanwhile, Perak Veterinary Services Department director Dr Abdul Kadir Osman said the government will decide whether to lift the quarantine on a duck farm in Kuala Dipang in Perak tomorrow.

He said various tests on samples taken from the farm, about 30km from Ipoh, had returned negative for traces of H5 bird flu virus.

"We are waiting for results on the tests on eggs taken from the farm. So far, all other results have been negative. We will inform our headquarters for further decision," he told Bernama.

Perak has 105 duck farms

Singapore suspended import of ducks from the farm after it suspected a case of avian influenza in live ducks that were shipped in.

The H5 sub-type of bird flu is not known to be dangerous to humans and is different from the H5N1 type that swept large parts of Asia early this year, killing 24 people.

Abdul Kadir said there were 105 duck farms in Perak and 39 of them export about one million ducks a month to Singapore alone, but the republic only imposed the ban on the single farm.

He said the department had been conducting routine checks on all poultry farms in Perak since last year's regional outbreak of bird flu.

The affected farm, which started exporting to Singapore two years ago, shipped about 1,000 ducks daily to Singapore prior to the ban. There are currently about 13,000 ducks left at the farm.